Bovine trichomoniasis (BT) is a venereal disease of cattle caused by the single-cell protozoan Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus). T. foetus has long been recognized as a serious reproductive disease in cattle. T. foetus colonizes the epithelial surfaces of the bovine reproductive tract, causing inflammation, embryonic losses, and infertility in cows. Infection in bulls is typically asymptomatic and restricted to the epithelial surface of the penis, prepuce and urethra. Infected bulls become inapparent carriers of the organism and serve as the predominate reservoir of T. foetus in cattle populations. Coitus between carrier bulls and susceptible cows or heifers is the main route of transmission. Consequently, T. foetus causes serious economic losses where natural breeding conditions exist, due to reduced calf crops and culling of infected cattle. The direct cost to the Texas cow-calf sector is estimated to be $300-million per year (Anderson and Hairgrove). BT has become a reportable disease in Texas with control efforts mainly focusing on mandatory testing of breeding bulls and culling of infected animals.
Approved testing methods for T. foetus include a culture test that requires daily microscopic examination for up to six days and nucleic acid detection by PCR. For both methods, smegma samples are collected into a culture media pouch (lnPouch containing −3.7 ml, approx. $5/pouch) and incubated at ˜37° C. for at least 48 hours (PCR) and up to 6 days (microscopic examination). For PCR, ˜300 μl of InPouch sample is used for nucleic acid purification and T. foetus DNA (5.8 S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene) detection.